Carb Overload

You know, I didn’t take on the whole “ethical omnivore” thing in order to lose weight. I took it on as a life choice specifically for moral or ethical reasons. I did assume, however, that because I would be eating more locally sourced food and that I would be more informed about my food that the food would be of a much better quality and therefore better for me. I had hoped perhaps there may be some weight loss benefit along the way. 

Well, I’ve gained 7 pounds in the last month. Of course, there are lots of other factors involved. I’ve been busy at work. I haven’t exercised as regularly as I normally do. I haven’t been planning my meals. I’ve been drinking regularly. Blah, blah, blah. 

I should say that I am a prolific dieter. I’ve dealt with the battle of bulge since I was a preteen. I know exactly how to lose weight. I’ve been losing and gaining weight for years. I say this facetiously of course. It’s not something that I’m proud of. It is what it is. And it’s something that I’m constantly dealing with. But whatever, I’m over weight but I’m not morbidly obese. I have no health-related issues. I have low blood pressure, good blood sugar, excellent cholesterol. Really, if a few extra pounds is my biggest problem in life, I’m not doing so bad.

That being said, there is a weight range that I feel most comfortable in and before I started eating ethically and I was on the top end of it. Now, I am out of that range so I’m not feeling too good about it. As I do anytime it’s time to get serious about my eating habits and health, I look back to what I have been consuming. How did I get here? Is ethical eating to blame?

I’ve been on several diets throughout my life but I have found a way of eating that works for me when I can muster up the will power to keep it going. When I’m being "good", I eat a diet of predominantly lean protein, low-fat dairy, lots of veggies, berries, fruit and healthy fats like nuts, olive oil, etc. I try to avoid the usual culprits: alcohol, refined sugar, fatty proteins and starchy foods such as potatoes and most grain products. 

Generally, I have found that eating foods high in carbohydrates such as wheat and other grains do not help me lose or maintain weight. They make me feel bloated and lethargic. Whatever full feeling they might give me is always temporary. What gives me a lasting feeling of fullness is when I consume some protein with whatever else it is I might be having. Protein has been a little lacking in my life lately.

It’s become blatantly apparent that ever since I began eating ethically, I have devoured whatever carbohydrate (aka wheat product or the like) I can get my hands on: bread, pita, naan, crackers, granola, popcorn, potatoes, tortilla chips. Perhaps because I’ve deemed them ethical, they are suddenly okay in large quantities? 

Another observation, because I haven’t been eating dairy products and I've been eating limited meat, I’ve been replacing those items with foods that contain more carbohydrates and less protein than their less ethical counterpart. 

Example 1
I used to consume:
Dairyland 1% Milk (1 cup)
110 Calories
Fat 2.5 g
Carbohydrates 12 g
Protein 9 g

Now, I consume: 
Blue Diamond Sweetened Vanilla Almond milk (1 cup)
90 Calories
Fat 2.5 g
Carbohydrate 16 g
Protein 1 g

Example 2
I used to consume:
Oikos Traditional Greek Yogurt-Coconut Vanilla Flavour (150g)
160 Calories
Fat 4.5 g
Carbohydrate 18g
Protein 11g

Now, I consume:
Amande Cultured Almondmilk Yogurt-Coconut Flavoured (170g)
170 Calories
Fat 8 g
Carbohydrate 23g
Protein 3g

Example 3
I used to consume:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (4 oz)
128 Calories
Fat 2.5 g
Carbohydrate- nil
Protein 23g

Now, I consume:
Original Beans in Tomato Sauce (1/2 cup serving- approximately 4.4 oz)
140 Calories
Fat .5g
Carbohydrate 28g
Protein 7g

I think you get the point. I’m consuming way less protein than I used to. I am replacing the protein with carbohydrates. The carbohydrates are often in the form of added sugar. Whatever carbohydrates they may be, they are going straight to my ass! 

Oh yeah, there are still the other 3 factors which have contributed to my recent weight gain: lack of exercise, excessive socializing (beer = carbs) and lack of meal planning. The lack of meal planning is a biggy. I do much better when I have a plan. Eating on the fly has probably been a key reason that I’ve resorted to eating so many bread products, crackers etc. They are easy and accessible.

Hmmm, I could blame ethical eating as the reason behind my recent weight gain but in reality, that’s a bit of a cop out.  Truth be told, in the past month I was basically allowing myself to eat whatever I wanted as long as no tortured animals were involved. Not a great long term strategy... Whether a food is ethical or not, there are calories to be considered! 

Like everything in life, it’s all about balance. As you can probably guess, balance has never been my strong suit. I’m an extreme kind of girl. In any case, my goal for the next couple weeks is to get off my butt, cut down on the beer, get organized with my eating and seek some balance in life. Summer is on its way after all!